City pays $19,000 to woman who cursed at toilet

The city of Scranton, Pa., is paying a woman $19,000 not to sue after she was charged with disorderly conduct for cursing at her over-flowing toilet.

Dawn Herb’s potty mouth caught the attention of her neighbor, an off-duty police officer, who, through an open window, overheard the woman swearing at her malfunctioning toilet in October 2007.

When she didn’t stop after he asked her to keep it down, he called police and Herb was charged.

Herb’s attorney, Barry Dyller and the American Civil Liberties Union announced Wednesday that the city agreed to the sum after a judge threw out the charges. The judge ruled that Herb’s swearing was protected by free speech.

By the $19,000 settlement, Scranton does not admit to any wrongdoing on the part of the police officer, according to the city solicitor.

I remember when this story broke in the media. I thought it was a pretty crappy thing to have done to this poor woman. $19,000 eh? That’ll keep her in “squeezeably soft Charmin” for the rest of her life!